CHRONO TRIGGER: Another Time


By: Tomm Hulett  (EMail: Kupan@aol.com)
Dedicated to: Tiffany, the love of my life.  My search is over.


                             Prologue

     The snow crackled under the man's steps.  The frigid wind chilled his
face, but he didn't care.  His left hand was near frozen to the scythe which
it held.  As always, his facial expression remained stoic.  He wore a slight
frown and his eyes squinted.  His cloak blew in the wind as he gazed out
across the ocean.  This northern cape had often been his refuge.  Three years
ago he had been in this very spot when redemption had come to him in the
form of a frog.  That had been the beginning of a journey he undertook to
save the world from a fate worse than death.  A fate called Lavos.
     Janus' mind wandered back to the adventure.  Although he had managed
to save the world, he had failed to save HIS world.  His sister, Schala.
Schala had been destroyed along with the kingdom of Zeal, and the Queen,
Janus' mother.  The wizard felt no sorrow for his mother, however, because
she was consumed by Lavos and became a monster.  Schala was the only
person Janus had ever respected or ever loved.
     All through that adventure, Janus had helped a band of adventurers--
kids, mostly.  Even then his true motive had been to find Schala.  The man
smiled.  How foolish he had been then; thinking that by calling himself
Magus that he could escape his past.  Now there was no need for pretending...
only a need to find Schala.  Besides this mission, Janus' life had no
purpose.  The wizard thought back to that adventure--the journeys through
time.  He remembered a man of another time.  Belthasar, Guru of Reason...if
anyone could find Schala, it was him.  Janus concentrated.  "Nuega, ziena,
zieber, zom," chanted the wizard.  "Now the chosen time has come.  Exchange
this world for the future..."  and he was gone.


                             Survival

     Doan turned his chair around as the door opened.  "Why hello
Prometheus!" said the old man as his yellow robotic friend entered the
chamber.  "What news have you of the war?"
     "As of the moment," began the robot called Prometheus.  "The battle
signs have decreased to flatline."
     "The calm before the storm," sighed Doan.  "So you think the enemy is
planning something?"
     "It's almost certain that they are," commented the robot.  "They
shouldn't be able to execute their plan for several days, though."  Doan gave
Prometheus a glance that told the robot he'd have to expound on the subject.
"The recent battle for the Trann Dome drained BOTH our forces.  Healing her
army will take a lot out of Mother Brain--she'll need time to recuperate.  We
should use that time to do the same."
     "So..you're leaving then?  With Atropos, no doubt."  Doan used his
computer equipment to check a few things.  "I can't really argue with
you..your logic is sound."  The old man moved the cursor on screen to
another menu.  Clicking on 'positions' he noticed that the enemy troops had
moved back to their headquarters.  "What do you think they'll do--once they
gather their forces?"
     Prometheus thought for a moment.  "It's obvious they won't try a direct
attack here in Arris--I'm guessing they'll make another attempt at Trann."
     "They want to surround us, then?"  Doan pondered.  "We have to protect
Trann at all costs."
     "Atropos and I are going to the Denadoro mountains anyway...if we see
anything strange near Trann, I'll radio you."  Almost as if summoned,
Atropos came in the door.  She resembled Prometheus except she was pink
and had a large bow on her head.  "Shall we go?" Prometheus asked his love.
The two robots left the Arris Dome as Doan turned back to his readings.

          *          *          *          *

     Janus landed softly on the ground as the time gate closed.  He looked
around.  Lucca's theory had been correct; the future had indeed changed.
When last Janus was here, it was a barren wasteland, all but devoid of life.
There was no vegetation, only smashed machinery of a golden age long gone.
     Now, however, there was a bright green grass covering the ground, and
birds chirped cheerfully as they flitted from one tree to the next.  A
chipmunk darted in front of the wizard, who was overtaken with this world
of beauty.  Janus took in a deep breath of the crisp air.  It had been three
years since he had been able to breath air that wasn't chilled with the
everpresent ice-age.  
     "I must reach the Keeper's Dome," Janus said to himself.  "Belthasar may
be the only one who knows Schala's location."

     The door of the Keeper's Dome opened.  The once-prince of Zeal stepped
inside.  Janus cocked his ears as he heard a strange noise.  The gentle hum
turned to a buzz just before a laser beam cut through the air and narrowly
missed the wizard.  "Blast," he cursed.  "What future is this, that the Guru
of Reason was compelled to build a defense system?"  Janus grasped his scythe
and leapt into the air.  He swung the weapon in a broad arc, it connected
with its target.  He landed on the ground just as gravity was causing the
remnants of the laser to do the same.  "Or perhaps this cannon was always
here, but when we arrived it was broken from decay."  Janus proceeded into
Belthasar's chamber, using his Amulet to open the door.  
     This chamber wasn't much different from its counterpart in the alternate
future.  A thin mist covered the floor, and the metal walkway was
deteriorating from lack of upkeep.  The wizard's steps caused the mist to
dissipate in his tracks.  A dull 'clank' caused by the metal walkway could be
heard with each footfall.  Janus came to the end of the walkway and a
sleeping Nu.  This Nu was different from the ones in Zeal, as it was merely a
robot created by Belthasar--the Guru had used a computer program to input
his memory patterns into this Nu before he had died of old age.
     Janus kicked the creature.  "Awaken, Nu, I know not whether you
remember the other possible future, but I know that no one in THIS future
could have turned you off."  The Nu stirred, wiped its eyes, and awoke.
     "Prince Janus," it began.  "I hardly thought I'd see YOU again."
     "Yes, Belthasar," Janus smiled grimly.  "Although I KNEW I'd find you
here."  The wizard ignored the stare of confusion given to him by the Nu,
and continued.  "I wish to locate Princess Schala," he said.  "Do you have
any information as to where I could look?"
     "Your friends may know the answer to your query," smiled the Nu.
"Search the times for your friends--and you may find Schala."
     "You know about the times?" asked a shocked Janus.  "How?  In this
future you--"
     "You'd be surprised what the Gurus know," Belthasar said.  "I'm going to
execute my final program--the entry to Death Peak.  Once it is finished, please
shut the robot off."  As soon as the guardian Poyozos had been deployed to
the mountain, Janus did as the Nu requested, and let it rest in peace.
     As soon as he had done so, he fell to the ground and covered his ears
with his hands.  Thousands of voices boomed inside of the wizard's mind.
"Help me"  "Use the wind"  "Your friends"  "Other time"  "Look Within"
"Destroy them"  "The dark path is the way"  "Not much time"  "Only hope"
"Weak"  "You are nothing"  "Outcast"  "Die"  All these and more shot
through Janus' head.  Some of the words were screamed, others whispered
and barely audible.
     "AAAARGH!!!"  Janus crumpled to the floor and lay there until the
mental noise died down.  The voices had been periodically coming to him for
a week now, but this was the worst case yet.  The wizard slowly regained
himself and stood.  He then opened the door behind the now sleeping Nu.
Janus entered the Epoch chamber.

          *          *          *          *

     The Prince of Zeal landed on the brick walkway.  It threatened to
crumble, but he knew it would hold--it always had before.  The wind swirled
about the platform where Janus found himself.  He stopped a moment to take
in his surroundings.  A bucket, two gates, a lamp post, and Gaspar; Guru of
Time.  "Awake old man," Janus spoke.  "I have need of your assistance."
     The old man was startled from his slumber, and turned to the wizard.
"Why Prince Janus!  You always have that way about you."  Gaspar tipped his
hat as was his normal welcoming procedure.  "You need my help?"
     "I...I think so."  Janus thought over what he was asking.  "I need a
time egg," he asked.  "To bring back Schala."
     "I gave the only Time Egg to you and your party to save the boy Crono."
Gaspar sighed.  "I wish there was something I could do...I only have this
song."  A small chorus of bells began playing out of nowhere.  "Call it an
ode to Schala."
     "How did you know about the other egg?" asked Janus amidst the music.
"That happened in the other timeline.  Lavos is dead now, so it never could
have killed Crono, and thus the Chrono Trigger never would have been used."
     "This is the junction of ALL times," Gaspar replied.  "I see the results
of every time period, as well as its alternate."  The Guru of time smiled.
"That is how I know about myself giving the Egg to you...Belthasar only made
one--he gave it to me.  I gave it to you."
     Janus turned and walked away.  The bells were still playing their faint
melody.  A thought occurred to the wizard prince.  "WAIT!" he spun around
so fast and spoke so loudly that the bells ceased, and Gaspar was shocked
back to attention.  "If you experience every possible time...then you have a
different egg for every possibility."  The wizard smiled at his revelation.
"Belthasar gives you a time egg in EVERY alternate time...you have as many
eggs as there are possible time streams."
     Janus strode triumphantly over to Gaspar as the Guru handed him the
Chrono Trigger.  Gaspar turned to the wizard, "You've gotten much more
powerful, Janus.  Much wiser as well."  He then fell back asleep under the
dull glow of the lamp.
     Before leaving, Janus turned towards the door that lead to Spekkio's
chamber.  "Perhaps I should see just HOW powerful I've become."  The
wizard thought better of it, though, and returned to the Epoch.  Before he
knew it, he was back in Belthasar's lab, the Time Egg in one of his pouches.
     Getting up from the seat of the Epoch, Janus contemplated keeping the
time machine.  Lucca had disassembled the one from the alternate future, so
this was the only Epoch in existence.  Then the wizard thought of how lucky
they had been during the adventure.  The slightest mistake and all the time
periods would have been thrown off course forever.  Janus didn't need a time
machine; he could use magic.  If someone else got ahold of this invention,
though, the whole world would be in danger.  The wizard decided to seal
away the Epoch for all time...not a difficult task, as only someone with his
amulet or Schala's pendant could open the chamber where the Epoch was kept.
     Silently leaving that chamber, Janus turned and sealed the door once
more.  No one would ever reach the Epoch again--in this future it was just
another one of man's unrealized dreams...

          *          *          *          *

     "I love you too," Atropos leaned against her love as they stared out
over the misted land below.  Prometheus and Atropos often came up here,
one of the many mountains in the Denadoro range, to look out over the
world.  It looked so peaceful from this height, especially on this beautiful
morning.  They could almost forget about the war, and the chaos, and just
focus on each other.  It was amazing two robots could have such feelings; but
they did, and that was all that mattered.
     "Hello Prometheus," the tall figure of Janus strode from the bushes.
     "Who are you?" beeped the robot.  "My memory banks show no record of
you."
     "I didn't think you'd remember me...I'm Janus," the wizard held out his
hand.  "More importantly, I'm an ally."
     Prometheus shook the man's hand.  "Janus was the name of a Prince from
Zeal, the cursed kingdom."
     "I see your memory banks contain some history lessons," smiled Janus.
     "Can we trust him?" Atropos asked Prometheus.  "He IS a human, but he's
different from the humans here."
     "You can trust me, Atropos," the wizard replied.  "I give you my word,
and honor is something I don't take lightly.  It was hard enough for me to
regain mine ONCE."
     Confused, Prometheus was startled further as a small alarm went off.
The robot opened up a panel on his wrist.  A red line was jumping
catastrophically on a small meter.  "The battle signs!" he said, amongst the
beeps and clicks that sounded when he spoke.  "They're going off the charts--
we have to return to Arris!"
     The two robots charged down the mountains towards their home.  Janus
followed, although he wondered what battle they were referring to.  This
future was supposed to be peaceful, what could have gone wrong?

          *          *          *          *

     Prometheus, Atropos, and Janus strode through the halls of the Arris
Dome.  The wizard was amazed at the people he saw.  A young girl stood
behind the counter of a shop, peddling her wares to passerby.  "Save money,
it'll do you good," she said as a group of wanderers left.
     In another chamber, a man played with his child--his wife looking on
with a large grin.  A chute nearby led to the food storage area, and Janus'
stomach lurched as he realized who this man was.  The other reality never
happened, though, so the morbid feeling was soon replaced by one of
happiness for the family.
     Walking through an electronic door, Janus was greeted by the sight of a
slim, balding man.  He wore a light brown uniform, and he was growing a
slight beard.  "Hello, Doan," the wizard said.
     "How did--"
     "We don't know," Prometheus answered.  "But he says he's a friend."  The
golden robot walked to the monitors and started clicking away at buttons.
"This is worse than I thought," he uttered, leaving the subject of the
mysterious visitor behind.  "They're converging on Arris as we speak."
     "The only way to stop them now is to shut down Mother Brain," Doan
sighed, obviously having thought this through.  
     "We can't get into her Geno Dome, though," Atropos frowned.  "The
password is unknown to us."
     Janus' brow perked up as Prometheus started talking again.  "Without the
password we're doomed.  All we can do is sit here and wait to die.  Arris
can't hold back her entire forces."
     "There has to be SOME WAY," Doan scowled, looking again at the readout.
"It can't end like this."
     "It won't," Janus shut his eyes tightly and reached inside the folds of
his cloak.  He grasped the time egg tightly.  His breath came slowly.
"Prometheus knows the password--or rather, Robo does."

          *          *          *          *

     The three fled towards the Keeper's Dome and Death Peak.  Prometheus
and Atropos gazed back towards Arris--their home.  At one time the two
robots had served Mother Brain.  They had been a part of the R-Series that
were the main footsoldiers of the robot army.  Mother Brain was once a
peaceful computer that became self aware and decided it was time that robots
destroyed humans and took control of the earth.  In a similar decision,
Atropos and Prometheus became aware of their wrongs and defaulted to the
side of the human resistance.  During that time, they had knowingly
undergone a memory sweep to destroy any remnants of Mother Brain's
programming--this was the reason that the Geno Dome was inaccessible.
     The dark blue colored R-Series robots could be seen charging at Arris.
Prometheus shut his eyes and Atropos turned away as many great explosions
sounded and the protective dome shook under the strain.  Their new home
was being devoured by their old family.  Many would have given up hope
completely by this point.  Arris contained all the information of human
settlements across the globe.  Prometheus, however, had always had more
than enough hope to go around.  "Come, Janus," he said, resuming their
pace.  "Whatever your plan is, we must do it quickly."
     "Death Peak is just across this channel," the wizard said simply.  He
chanted a strange spell and the trio was encased in a magic bubble; they
floated effortlessly over the water and to the land on the other side.
"There are strong winds in this mountain," Janus warned.  "Only move
when I tell you--and when you do move, make sure it's a sprint."

          *          *          *          *

     "Here...now I have to use the Time Egg."  Janus walked to the edge of
the peak, just beyond a scraggled tree.  The two robots shifted nervously as
the strange man placed the bauble on the ground at the peak.  It slowly rose
into the air before shattering loudly.
     Atropos shook her metal head and moved closer to Prometheus.  The man
who had brought them hope was revealed as a charlatan.
     "It's working," Janus said with a smirk.  "Don't worry."
     The sky's colors shifted and changed almost immediately.  The two
automatons looked at their surroundings nervously only to watch as Death
Peak and the scraggled tree vanished from sight.  Instead, they were standing
in a small village area, two bizarre metallic pods at one end, and three
humans at the other.  The man calling himself Prince of Zeal was already at
work.
     "Pr...Prometheus--" Atropos pointed at a shiny yellow being.  "That's
you!"
     "It would seem as much," he whirred.  "Explain, wizard."
     The aforementioned yellow being was frozen in a waving position.  His
right arm cocked upwards, seeming to signal at the small purple haired girl.
     "This is better than I had imagined," Janus' face brightened.
"Prometheus--open up your memory circuits."
     "HE WILL DO NO SUCH THING!" the female robot's vocal output device
blared.
     Janus straightened to his full height.  "I understand you're distrustful
of me," he said with a surprisingly calm air.  "I come into your time, know
all your names, and claim to be one of the more notorious figures from
history....But you MUST trust me now."
     "Give him a chance to explain," Prometheus stepped in front of his
counterpart.  "In an odd way this might all make sense."
     "Thank you, Prometheus."  The Prince of Zeal knelt back down.  "I come
from another time," he explained.  "I underwent a quest along with these
beings," here he motioned at the humans frozen in space.  "We saved the
past--but as a result the future was changed.  The 'other' Prometheus, who we
called Robo, didn't experience the memory sweep that erased Mother Brain's
password.  We have arrived at the moment right before Robo enters that time
gate and vanishes from existence.  If I can put his memory chip into
Prometheus, then we'll have access to Mother Brain's codes and can save
your time."
     The pink robot backed down slightly, still distrustful.  Prometheus
slowly began to unhinge the top of his head.  "I will trust you, Janus," he
said on edge.  "Remember that you are responsible for the downfall of the
future if you are lying."
     Janus had never gotten used to this feeling.  The feeling that an entire
time period rested in the palm of his hand.  He carefully placed Robo's
circuit into the 'mind' of Prometheus, rehinged the robot's head, and Leene
Square slowly melted back into the scenery of Death Peak.

     Prometheus stood lifeless beneath the scraggly tree.  Atropos beeped a
few words at him, and began to despair when he didn't respond.  She turned
angrily to Janus.  "You did this, fiend!"
     The wizard was worried.  His face displayed this emotion obviously.  "I
don't see what could have gone wrong...."
     Just as the female robot readied an attack, a few beeps and clicks
emerged from Prometheus' body.  Atropos turned to him "my love!"  The two
robots shared a metallic embrace.
     "I apologize for my tardiness in returning to consciousness," he said,
turning the side of his 'mouth' up in a smile.  "I was running a diagnostic
of the new memory chip."
     "The results?" Janus asked eagerly.
     "I have the password!" the robot said ecstatically.  "We can defeat
Mother Brain!"  He then turned to his better half.  "We can trust Prince
Janus, my dear Atropos."
     "You are sure?" she asked.
     Prometheus nodded.
     Gazing down off the peak, the three figures saw the large force of
R-Series robots pursuing someone.  Barely visible was a small jet bike
zooming away from the Arris Dome.  
     "It's Doan," Prometheus noted.  "He's escaping."
     "Will he make it to the rendezvous point?" the pink droid questioned.
     "If this future's Doan is as good with a speed bike as the other
future's Doan claimed to be....he'll be fine."  Janus began to chant a spell.
"If I can teleport us to the meeting place directly from this peak, then we
can end all this quickly."

          *          *          *          *

     Doan screeched to a halt as Janus, Prometheus, and Atropos materialized
in front of him.  Not asking questions, the aging man pointed behind him.
"A few stragglers," he panted.  "Managed to keep up."  Instead of talking,
Doan decided to take a more direct communication approach.  He whipped
out his blaster and shot an R-Series pursuer.
     "I shall take the rest," Janus said coldly, making a few motions with
his arm.  "DARK BOMB!"  There was a dark explosion and the R-Series were
no longer capable of giving chase.
     "You have the password, I assume?" Doan asked.
     "Indeed," answered the yellow robot.  "It seems that I have knowledge of
being to the Geno Dome before."  Prometheus would have made a makeshift
wink to Janus, but the wizard was already absorbed in the chant that would
carry them to their destination.  Running over data from the 'first' Geno
Dome invasion, Prometheus turned to his love.  "Do not accompany us," he
commanded.
     "What?" Atropos asked in shock.  "I will not leave your side."
     The wind was beginning to pick up as the spell began to take effect.
Janus' cloak blew violently in the gale and Doan was having trouble staying
on his feet.  Prometheus slowly plodded to join them.  "Something happened
there in the 'other' time," he said.  "I cannot let it happen here in our time."
     "What happened?" the female shouted to him.  "Tell me."
     "I can't," the golden tin man turned away.  "Just trust me."
     Atropos huffed as the three were carried away in a magic bubble.

     Zeal's Prince outstretched his arms and guided the bubble towards the
Geno Dome.  Prometheus beeped a few times before speaking.  "You've
expended much magical energy, Janus.  Are you worried about collapsing?  Or
can it be assumed you still draw power from the Black Wind?"
     There was no answer as the trio continued their journey.

          *          *          *          *

     The walls were lined with monitors and assorted blinking lights and
switches.  The heart of Geno Dome was indeed an imposing locale.  After a
long and puzzling journey through the robot domain, the three warriors had
finally located the stronghold of the revolt's master.  "Mother Brain," Janus
harshly commanded.  "Reveal yourself."
     "All in good time, wizard," a few terminals blinked to life and
projected a holographic being into the center of the room.  "First I have a
few things to say."
     "You shall not get to say them," Doan shot angrily.  "You have done too
much damage to deserve explanation."
     "Yes, we care not for your speeches!"  Prometheus assumed a battle stance.
     "You, dear friend, should care most of all!" the translucent robed woman
motioned her hand and a pink droid emerged from a wall panel.  "It seems
you left your dear, dear Atropos behind--and that she would have done
ANYTHING to see you again."
     "WITCH!" the male robot cursed.  "What have you done?"
     "Let her go, Mother Brain," the dark wizard demanded.  "She is not your
pawn."
     "All life on this planet is my pawn," the cybernetic tyrant raged.  "My
wisdom and my rule are supreme!"
     Prometheus, oblivious to the banter, sobbed inwardly.  This was exactly
what he had tried to avoid.  He knew that if his lover had accompanied them
she would fall into the sway of their once master.  It had happened in the
other time and Atropos had died because of it.  Prometheus would do
anything now to avoid that.  He was once again in Mother Brain's attention.
     "My child," she mocked.  "There is a code string placed in the
programming of all the female robots.  I can activate it at any time and it
is impervious to memory sweeps.  This way I can always control the male
robots by controlling their 'mates'."  Cold laughter echoed from the
hologram.
     "PROMETHEUS!" Janus called, leaping towards the pink robot.  "I will
keep Atropos safe--when you defeat Mother Brain the code string should be
deactivated and your partner will be free!"
     With a growl, a laser was fired at the Prince.  He darted away just in
time, however, and it was harmlessly absorbed into the wall.  Janus made a
few quick chants and an invisible barrier was soon erected in the area
surrounding Atropos.  She was unable to move more than two feet in any
direction.
     Prometheus and Doan charged at Mother Brain.  She attempted to erect a
shield for herself but failed.  The human's laser beam connected at her
chest.  The hologram flickered but a moment--and was soon recovered.
     "Fools!" she hauntingly called.  "Defeating my projected 'body' will do
nothing!  I am a program!"
     Prometheus turned once more to his newly acquired memory chip.
Recalling something from a world not his own, he leapt down onto the
circuit board in the center of the room.  He had assumed these components
were the ones powering his nemesis.  The plates of armor that composed the
robot's body opened slightly, revealing his own circuits beneath.  He slowly
channelled the electricity powering Mother Brain into his own body,
amplifying it, and then returning it into her systems.  The yellow droid
repeated the process over and over again.  
     "A shock attack," Janus smiled to himself.  "Brilliant."
     There was a scream of pain from Mother Brain, the crackle of
electricity, and then all the monitors, lights, and systems in the room shut
off.  Before too long, the auxiliary lights dimly came on.
     As a hush fell over Janus and Doan, their fears were calmed as they
heard the gentle hiss of an R-Series coolant system.
     "Thank you," Prometheus replied.  "Thank you for not allowing the
tragedy of the past to happen once again."
     "It only happened in the first place cause you demanded we allow you to
deal with her by yourself, you stupid tin bucket," Janus jokingly reprimanded.
     With steely steps, Prometheus walked to his unconscious companion.
After a moment, her sensors blipped on.  "Diagnostics check," she answered
his silent question.  The two shared binary laughter.
     Watching the robot couple, Janus smiled to himself.  To save them and
their world, he had given up the time egg.  He had given up his one hope of
seeing his sister Schala ever again.  Still haunted by the advice of the two
Gurus, he pondered if there was yet another answer to his quest.  There was a
part of the dark mage that almost wished he had kept the Egg to himself.  If
he had done that, perhaps him and Schala would now--"AAAARRRGGHH!!!"
     "What ails our friend?" Atropos asked urgently.  The two droids,
accompanied by Doan, ran to Janus' aid.  
     The voices again tormented the wizard's mind.  Howling through his
synapses, they had again emerged from the depths of his mind.  Thought was
impossible, and Janus cringed in a ball on the cold steel floor of the dimly
lit room.  He grimaced and moved about as if undergoing physical blows.  He
was in more than obvious pain.
     "Prince Janus!" Doan shouted.  "JANUS!"
     Not able to hear his friends, Janus screamed in agony over and over
again.  The voices pounded through his head, never ceasing.  Then, as
suddenly as they'd come, they were silenced.
     "Are...are you okay, my friend?" Prometheus asked worriedly.
     "I...I don--yes...I'm fine."  Janus propped himself up by one arm.  "I
apologize for my quick visit, but I must be going now."
     Prometheus offered a hand to help the wizard to his feet.  "Best luck in
finding Schala," the robot blipped.
     "Thank you," the prince nodded.  "Best of luck to all of you."
     Saying nothing more, Janus began to chant.  "Nuega, ziena, zieber, zom.
Now the chosen time has come.  Exchange this world for Prehistoric!"
     As the wizard started to flicker from view into the timestream,
Prometheus spoke.  "Tell Lucca I said hi," he said softly.
     Janus smiled very slightly.  "I shall."


                              Prehistoria

     The gentle snow fell quietly on the already white fields.  Janus' highly
violet attire stood out boldly in the pale landscape.  The wizard wondered if
he would ever be free of an ice age.  In his own time there was no respite in
the blistering cold, and it seemed even the timestream wouldn't allow him to
escape.
     Against the prince's will, it seemed his usual grim demeanor had again
reared its head and taken the helm of his outlook.  It had been easy to get
caught up in the happiness that the future was better, and that Robo's life
had seen perfection, but unfortunately once out of that time period it was
easy to fall back into emotionlessness.  Janus frowned.
     Concentrating, the wizard put his right pointing finger against his
forehead.  A subtle aura surrounded him and then dissipated.  "East," he said
matter of factly.  "Ayla's village is east."

          *          *          *          *

     Upon arriving in the village Elder's hut, several things surprised the
wizard.  First of all was Ayla's change in attire.  To compensate for the
cold weather she had donned a rather conservative outfit.  A more pleasant
surprise was the size of her stomach.  Janus had noticed almost immediately
that the cavewoman was now very pregnant.  
     The dark mage was also happy that one of the theories he had helped
formulate was proven true.  The time stream did not deposit travellers on
fixed points in the timeline, but they aged along with the periods.  If three
years passed in the Dark Ages, then three years also passed in the Middle
Ages and three years passed in the Prehistoric Age.
     Janus was currently seated on a saber toothed rug in Ayla's hut.  He was
leaning up against the wall of the house.  Ayla and her husband Kino were
both seated on nearby rugs.
     "Wizard like town?" Ayla asked.  It was obvious she had gone to some
trouble fixing it up like the towns she had seen in the future.  She had done
the best job she could in the limited conditions.
     "Very much," the grim wizard forced a smile.  He truly was happy for
her, and wondered why he couldn't express it with less effort.
     "Food low," Kino noted.  Ayla flashed him a hushing glance.
     "People happy," the woman smiled.  "Ayla and Kino happy too."  This
comment brought her to place her hands on her tummy and smile.  "Ayla's
baby happy too."
     "Hm," Janus frowned pensively, trying to figure out how to state what
he'd come for.  
     "Wizard no happy?" Kino questioned.  "Why?"
     "Wizard need party!" Ayla leapt from her sitting position and raised a
hand triumphantly in the air.  "We gather villagers!"
     "No..that's quite alright," Janus said quickly as Kino tried to urge his
wife to sit back down.  "I just need...some information."  A glance from Ayla
told the stoic prince that he could continue.  "I need to know where you find
your Dreamstone."
     "Red rock help find sister?" the cavewoman asked softly.
     Janus nodded.  It was somehow very comforting to know that all his old
companions truly cared about him and his quest.  It was nice to have true
friends who would help him.  
     "Stone in cave near Dactyl Nest."  Ayla took a large swig from the cup
of hot water she had put nearby.  "Ayla sleepy.  Kino need show cave to
Wizard."
     As the Elder of the village started her slumber, Kino drew Janus a rough
map to help him find the location of the Dreamstone.  Presenting some dried
meat as the only thanks he could, the wizard of Zeal bid the cavepeople
farewell and continued on his quest.

          *          *          *          *

     The wind howled and snow slashed into Janus as he approached the rocky
entrance to the Dreamstone 'mine'.  In a great number of years from then,
citizens of Algetty would stumble upon the magical rock and set upon a series
of events that would eventually be the downfall of the Empire they would
create.  If Janus could stop this from ever happening, then perhaps the whole
disaster would be averted and Schala would be saved.  
     It wouldn't be too hard, a simple spell and everything could be okay.
Janus extended his arms sharply outstretched, and the ground began to
rumble.  The earthquake broke the overhanging crags that formed an
entrance, and prevented anyone from ever wandering into the cave.  Satisfied
at his work, Janus chanted something more.  "Nuega, ziena, zieber, zom.  Now
the chosen time has come.  Exchange this world for the present!"

     Not long after the visitor had vanished into the stream of time, there
was a small shaking at the entrance to the Dreamstone cave.  Soon it became a
pounding, and the rocks that had blocked the entrance rolled away.  A small
roundish purple creature stood at the entrance and sighed, exhausted from
his effort.  Not intent on being trapped forever, this Nu had removed the
obstruction.  Now it was time to sleep....


                              Good Friends

     Something sounding mysteriously like a time gate caused Lucca to look up
from her studying.  Marle also looked up, but only to inquire as to why her
friend had started.
     "That sound....could it have been.....?"  Lucca slowly peeked down the
stairs where the sound had come from.  A figure was tromping up the stairs,
and the two girls closed the door so that they could only see a tiny crack.
Strong arms forced it open and the figure burst in.
     "Hey girls....why were you blocking the door?" asked a red haired young
man.
     "C...Crono..." Marle laughed self consciously.  "Nothing...Lucca had me
scared."
     "Agh," the purple haired girl adjusted her glasses.  "Sometimes studying
so much causes my mind to play tricks on me.  I almost thought I'd heard--"
     "A time gate."
     "Yes, Magus, a time....WHAT?!?"
     To everyone's surprise, the purple cloaked wizard had emerged from
downstairs.  "Please Lucca," he said without emotion.  "My name is Janus."
     "How did you get here, Janus?" asked a shocked Crono.  "The time gates
are closed."
     "I used magic," he replied simply.  "Isn't it rather obvious?"
     "If you arrived HERE....three years later...." Lucca began inquisitively.
"Does that mean......our theory of aging flow of time........?"
     "Is true?" Janus finished.  "Yes."
     "Wow," Lucca sighed happily, detached.  She hurriedly produced a thick
volume she'd been writing in at various times and put her pencil once again
to the pages.
     Janus sat down roughly on Crono's unkempt bed.  He leaned back against
the bedroom wall.  Crono and Marle pulled up chairs, settling down to talk
with their old companion.  "So," the wizard began.  "I see that nothing's
changed--meaning my plan to isolate Dreamstone supply has failed."
     "Trying to find Schala?" Crono assumed.
     "I'm sorry you haven't been making much progress," Princess Nadia
frowned with concern.  "Is there any way we could help?"
     "I'm afraid not," Janus sighed, a bit cheered by his friend's concern.
"I've gotten a bit of advice from the Gurus, though."  The wizard stretched
his aching joints.  He realized he had been doing something constantly
without sleep ever since he left his own time period.  He yawned.  "So...ho
is life with all of you?"
     "Well...it's pretty much normal.  We hang out together a lot."  Crono
tapped his chair as he thought.  "I go to the castle a lot and take Marle on
dates and stuff."
     "Maybe normal isn't the word..." the flaxen haired girl replied.  "We
don't fight monsters or anything anymore."  Marle giggled.
     "I've spent my time looking for Schala," Janus stated with heavy eyes.
"Eventually, after searching my entire time period, I figured that I should
travel through time and find the Gurus.  Belthasar told me that my friends
might know the answer...but unfortunately I haven't had any luck.  I've also
had mysterious bouts with voices pounding in my head."
     Suddenly a thought occurred to Crono, as the host.  "Uh..do you want
anything to drink?  Hot tea or something?"
     "No," Janus laid back against the bed.  "What I really need is sleep.
Might I rest here for a few hours before I'm on my way?"
     "Of course," the crimson haired youth smiled.  "We'll leave you alone."
     "It was nice talking with you Janus," Marle smiled warmly.  "Even if you
are in a hurry."
     The two teenagers left the room.  Lucca still sat at the desk, writing
in her volume, with the table lamp on.  Remembering something, Janus
opened his eyes.  "Lucca," he smiled.  "Robo says hi."  The wizard then shut
his eyes and rolled over to face the wall.  
     Lucca stood up.  Before leaving, the girl wiped a tear from her eye and
smiled.


                              Atonement

     Glenn opened his eyes as someone knocked on his door.  The man-sized
Frog croaked and then spoke, "Come in."
     "Sir Glenn," the messenger replied.  "There is someone here to see you."
     This was strange.  Not that Glenn didn't like company, but he was fairly
unaccustomed to having visitors.  Sure, after saving the world he'd had his
share of 'fans', but soon the people settled and he received little attention
from the outside world.  Apparently it didn't matter how much hero status
one had--if they looked like a frog then they were still a freak.  "Send him
up."
     Glenn had taken a liking to his current life.  He lived in Guardia
Castle with the King and Queen.  He was still the guardian, however, and
would leave the castle much of the time to go on quests and journeys and the
like.  He had been offered a position as captain of the knights but decided
against it.  He rather wished he wasn't a frog, though, as people still
judged and disliked him because of it.  The man who walked through the
doorway was the last person Glenn had expected to see.
     "SIR MAGUS?" the frog practically fell from his seat.
     "Frog...please call me Janus."
     "Indeed," Glenn granted.  "I request you also address me as Glenn."
     "So how have you been?" the once Prince of Zeal asked.
     "Fortune seems to be in my favor," the frog answered.  "And thou?  Hast
thou succeeded in locating Schala?"
     "Alas, I haven't," Janus looked about the room before taking his seat on
a small stool.  "But I have never given up trying."
     "Excellent," Glenn croaked.  "As long as one doesn't give up--there is
always hope to be found."  The small figure took the Masamune--which he'd
been polishing earlier that afternoon--and hung it on the wall where it
usually rested.  "Why has Guardia become thy destination?"
     "Belthasar said that perhaps the way to Schala lie through my friends."
     Glenn returned to his chair.  "I wouldst do all in my power to aid thee.
In the past thou hast proven thyself to be a true and honorable warrior."
     "Nay, Frog," Janus replied.  "I believe I already know what I must do
here."
     The green warrior cocked his head in a questioning glance as the wizard
began to chant.  Faster than Glenn could blink, tendrils of dark energy
gripped at him from below.  He was pulled into the cold rocky floor and was
unable to move.  "Curse you, villain!" he shouted.  "Thou art evil to the
core!"
     "Nuega, ziena, zieber, zom," Janus had already begun his second chant.
"Now the chosen time has come.  Exchange this world for the Dark Ages."
     Glenn looked up at the wizard with pain streaking his face.  The frog
laboriously raised his head from the ground.  As Janus disappeared into time,
he met Glenn's gaze with a mysterious smile.  "Goodbye, Glenn," the wizard
said; then was gone.

          *          *          *          *

     Glenn slowly opened his eyes.  He rubbed his aching head, seemingly
trying to massage away the excruciating stabs of pain.  As he rubbed his
head, his ungloved hand felt something it hadn't felt in a very long time.
Glenn was feeling hair.  The knight sat up quickly, forgetting about the pain
entirely and looking at his long green hair.  The small armor plates he'd
worn in his amphibious form had broken off when he resumed his human
form.  Glenn stood up, wearing only his cloth tunic, and spoke to Janus,
wherever he might be.  "Thank you, my friend."


                              Journey's End

     Once again, Janus stood at the North Cape.  His quest had come full
circle, finally reaching its end.  Unfortunately, he had yet to achieve his
goal.  The wizard thought back over recent events, taking what joy he could
from the good things he'd done.  Before he could recall much, however, there
was an explosion in his mind.
     The screaming voices had returned in their worst attack yet.  Janus fell
to the ground and trembled in pain and fear.  Haunting moans, frightening
shouts, and blood curdling screams erupted throughout his mind.  The pain
was so encompassing that soon it seemed as if the dark mage was sinking into
himself.  When he opened his pain torn eyes, he saw the ebony nothingness
that is the Black Wind.
     "So it was you," Janus spat as he shakily rose to his feet.  "You have
been tormenting me."
     "Entirely of your own will," spoke the wind wrathfully.  "You willed us
to, master."  There was biting sarcasm on the final word.
     The Wind shifted and a bolt of pain knocked Janus down.  Another struck
the wizard sideways.  The force blows continued for an amount of time Janus
couldn't calculate.  Then there was another voice in his head.......a very 
aint, gentle voice.  The attack ceased, and a cool feeling washed over Prince
Zeal.  He stood up in the Black Wind and looked around.
     Coming towards him through the dark veil was a young woman.  She
stood fairly tall and wore violet robes.  Her blue hair framed her face, a
face supporting two benevolent eyes.
     "Schala...." Janus struggled to move to his sister.  The wind convulsed
and moved to stop him, but somehow failed.
     "Janus," the young woman smiled.  "Brother...it is good to see you
again."
     When they reached each other, Janus collapsed and fell down.  His sister
took him into her arms.  "Am I dying, Schala?" asked the wizard.  He seemed
to be the small, weak boy he had been during their childhood.  He looked up
at her with frightened eyes.
     "No," she assured.  "Everything is going to be okay.  You need to be
strong."
     Strong.  It was a strange word for Janus to think about now.  All the
strength he'd found through his entire life was for the sole purpose of
revenge.  Once the object of his revenge had died, he'd devoted all his
strength to finding his lost sister.  Now, in his moment of victory, he was
asked to muster up even more strength?
     "Janus," Schala urged.  "You need to defeat the Black Wind once and for
all.  I cannot be free if it still consumes your soul."
     "This...this is what weighs upon my soul?"
     The Black Wind swirled above them.  Its great booming voice responded.
"Indeed, Janus of Zeal," it called.  "We have consumed you just as we
promised."
     "What....why?"  Janus was on his feet and shouting back at the Wind.
"Why have you done this?"
     "There were two bodies who controlled us," the Wind howled.  "Lavos
and yourself.  Lavos was vanquished--and thus you became the focal point of
our power."
     "I did not ask for your aid," Janus growled.
     "How do you think you are the only being capable of time travel?" the
monstrous force shot back.  
     "Why, then, do you seek to destroy me?" Janus held Schala's hand
strongly.  He would not lose her again.
     "When you die, we will have no cocoon to hold us," the Wind revealed.
"You contain us just as we contain you.  If you die then we will have free
reign over this world."
     Schala was the next to speak.  "Why did you not kill my brother and
Lavos long ago?"
     The gale that was the Black Wind continued its explanation.  "We could
not attack Lavos directly for many reasons.  It was the being who helped to
create us through its manipulation of Zeal.  Also, it was far too strong to
attack directly--thus we needed a pawn to do it for us.  That pawn was Janus
of Zeal.  Using him to destroy one focal point allowed us to destroy his
pitiful soul later."
     "I conquered you!" the wizard called at the swirling evil.
     "Quite an unexpected development indeed," the Wind stated.  "As you can
see, our full power is far too much for your weak human self."
     "If only I'd realized sooner," Janus told his sister.  "I could have
expelled the Wind before it got this strong.  I depended on it for far too
long."
     "We must destroy it," Schala replied bravely.  "There is no choice."
     The Black Wind howled passed and swirled tempestuously.  It was
threatening to swallow the two figures as they shouted through the din to
one another.  Janus looked forlorn.  "There is no way to destroy it.  It was
created by the elemental forces, and as a result they cannot be used against
it."
     "But there were two magics that it created, brother," the benevolent
young woman reminded.  "And if we force them back into it, perhaps it shall
meet its end."
     A grim smile spread across Janus' face.  "Let us end this quickly,
sister," he replied.
     The two siblings synchronized their arm movements.  Each working their
appropriate magic, they chanted the words accordingly.  Janus' dark Shadow
form, and Schala's light Lunar form.
     "DARK MATTER!" Janus shouted, the spell's energy damaging the Wind.
     "LUMINAIRE!" Schala called to the powers of light, also damaging the
Wind.
     The roar of the Black Wind increased.  It crashed and swirled
catastrophically against itself and shuddered in pain.
     "We've done it, sister," Janus announced, falling to one knee.  "The
Black Wind has been destroyed."
     The void continued to toss in turmoil, and the two figures stood
defiantly in its center.  Together they could not be defeated, and the evil
had fallen before them.


                              Epilogue

     Snow fell quietly on the Cape once more.  Schala was seated on a rock
and she looked happily at her brother.  "I'm so proud of you, Janus," she
said.
     "I'm happy to finally have found you," the wizard sincerely smiled.
     "Yes," Schala stood.  "Now that the Black Wind is no longer an obstacle,
my soul can rest in peace."
     "S...soul?"
     Even as the man turned around, the young woman's form was flickering
from sight.
     "You cannot leave me, Schala!" Janus cried.  "I cannot be alone!"
     "I'm still with you, Janus," the princess smiled.  "I'm the same place I
have been for your entire life.  I dwell in your heart and am a part of your
soul."
     With that statement, Schala vanished forever.  It had served to comfort
Janus' heart a little...but it weighed upon it just as much.  After all his
effort and trials, he had achieved his goal for little more than a moment.
He opened his mouth to speak.  "I'm nothing without you......."
     "That is not true," Schala's voice echoed in his mind.  "Your friends
have shown you that there are worthwhile things in life.  You cannot dwell
forever in the past.  You have responsibilities and accomplishments to attend
to."  Janus looked about the Cape, making sure his sister wasn't actually
present.  Her voice continued.  "Through all your life, I will be here with
you.  A part of you forever.  Remember me when you require aid or are in
need."
     "What am I to do, sister?" Janus asked angrily, mostly at himself.
"Where do I go from here?"
     "The Earthbound village needs leadership," Schala said happily.  "You
are the one who must rise to lead them through their trials and help them
achieve a civilization in this world."  Janus walked to the edge of the
Northern Cape and looked down at the village below.  It was makeshift and
shoddy, but the people were trying their best.  With the right direction,
they could survive and more.  "Always remember me," Schala replied as even
her voice faded.  "Lead your people to the bright future they can achieve."
     Schala's words echoing in his mind, Janus stared at the village.  His
cape blew behind him as the wind brushed past.  He looked down at his
future.  The wizard saw his calling and the possibilities therein.  Janus of
Zeal gazed down at his people...and smiled.

                              THE END


     AUTHOR'S NOTE:  And that's that.  Something like a year after I started
this story, I picked it up again and finished it in a day.  It may seem as
though it was rushed because of this fact--but that would be a rash
assumption.  In reality, I had always planned to have the first chapter be
absurdly long and the rest of the chapters tiny little ones.  Don't ask me
why...anyway...it wasn't rushed in the least.  Also, I pretty much wrote this
whole fanfic just cause I could picture the end scene with Magus staring down
at the village with Schala's bell theme playing in the background.  It's now
1:30 in the morning, so I'm going to sleep.  Thank you for reading; I hope
you enjoyed it.